Circuit Jean-Pierre Beltoise

[schanche]

After Visiting the French round of the ERC this year and disscussing other French circuits which used to hold rounds with a fellow forum member! It got me thinking about the track I made the trip to in 1990 on a Scorching Sunday " Circuit Jean-Pierre Beltoise" now I remember it being a bloody long way especially straight after a ferry crossing and in the early hours of the morning.We arrived at a big Industrial estate and just seemed to be able to park anywhere it was small compared to others and couldnt really see alot the pits was next to an underground car park if I recall correctly.I think it was Richard Huttons first European event and my first visit to french erc.Matti won and Im sure I recall T16's finishing in the top 3?

Guru how many times did it hold the event when did it stop holding National events and have you got a pic of the layout at the time.


sorry for the small image
Looking at the track now its changed a whole lot including the surrounding area.Im sure your year books used to have a diagram of the layouts of the circuits at the time Did any other forum members visit the track on this event?

[rx-guru]

There is a track diagram on page 14 of my last so-called RX yearbook (1990).

There was only one ERC round at Paris-Trappes, on June 24 1990.

According to Jacques Privat’s book "Rallycross 1977–2007" (on 30 years of RX in France) they did FRC rounds in 1988, 89, 90, 91, 92 and 93 there, before they went to Paris-LeBourget for one year (1994).

[schanche]

Thanks for that Eddie ever helpful.Now not sure if you have covered this elsewhere but what was the first ever track to be built to host a Rallycross event in France,have they always been purpose built for the events or have they modified normal motor racing circuits to host events along side normal events like we have in the Uk.Also which circuit has hosted the most french ERC rounds trying to research this myself is proving difficult but very interesting and fascinating!

[WJM]

Originally Posted by schanche

Thanks for that Eddie ever helpful.Now not sure if you have covered this elsewhere but what was the first ever track to be built to host a Rallycross event in France,have they always been purpose built for the events or have they modified normal motor racing circuits to host events along side normal events like we have in the Uk.Also which circuit has hosted the most french ERC rounds trying to research this myself is proving difficult but very interesting and fascinating!

Everything about the French Championship and French Rallycross in general is in the book by Jacques Privat already quoted by rx-guru. You could have bought it like I did at Marc Laboulle's 'shop' last weekend. You should really try to get it somewhere it's fantastic!

The first French championship consisted of purpose build tracks Reims-juvincourt, Loheac, Essay, Quenne-Auxerre, converted tarmac track Bois-Guyon, converted Autocross track St-Junien and converted airports Luneville and Usseau-Chatellerault. Most French ERC rounds would be Essay and most French Rallycross rounds in general would be Essay too.

[rx-guru]

The first ever RX in France, a stand alone event, took place on September 5 1976 at Lohéac and was won by Briton Mick Bird (Mini Cooper 1.5) in Class 1 (-1600cc) and Belgian Guy Deladrière (Porsche Carrera 3.0) in Class 2 (+1600cc). Other Brits involved were Richard Painton, Ron Douglas and John Welch. However, it was at the old Circuit de Lohéac, used from 1976 till 1985. The current venue was opened in September 1986.

[WJM]

Originally Posted by rx-guru

The first ever RX in France, a stand alone event, took place on September 5 1976 at Lohéac and was won by Briton Mick Bird (Mini Cooper 1.5) in Class 1 (-1600cc) and Belgian Guy Deladrière (Porsche Carrera 3.0) in Class 2 (+1600cc). Other Brits involved were Richard Painton, Ron Douglas and John Welch. However, it was at the old Circuit de Lohéac, used from 1976 till 1985. The current venue was opened in September 1986.

That's not how it's described by Jacques Privat if I understand it correct? My French is not very fluent so I might be mistaken. It says the first rallycross in 76 was a field they converted only for that race. From 1977-85 they went to another terrain.
Look especially on the quote on page 14 near the bottom were it says the original terrain went back to farmland and then they found a second terrain on the east of the village?

[rx-guru]

Okay, seems to be correct. Sorry! I did not read the story before as my knowledge of the French language is just enough to survive for a couple of days in France…
However, now I also noticed that there is no pic of the 1976 event showing any tarmac.
I, myself was at Lohéac for the first time in 1978, for the first French ERC round ever. When the super final winner Åke Andersson from Sweden was awarded a living milk cow…
Instead of cutting the cow into pieces he sold it back pretty cheap to its first owner.

[schanche]

[QUOTE=WJM;2462248] You could have bought it like I did at Marc Laboulle's 'shop' last weekend. You should really try to get it somewhere it's fantastic!

I will be purchasing the mentiond book hopefully in August I think the Rally Merchandise stalls had it for sale ? If there are any other reference books that you can recommend I would be grateful to know,just have to brush up on my French lol

When the super final winner Åke Andersson from Sweden was awarded a living milk cow… Haha what a prize to be given in them days how strange any other weird antidotes about past events, me thinks you should be writing a book on your past ventures

[Stephen H]

I don`t think the rally merchanise stalls had the book - it was for sale on the stall attached to the Marc Laboulle pit - and was for sale from the truck selling the photos that was next the rally stalls. There is a link on the AFOR website to purchase it - but my french wasn`t good enough to get it that way.

Wish the British Championship had a similar book!

[rx-guru]

@ schanche: There is a pic of Andersson and the cow in that book of Jacques Privat, but I also remember it pretty well. The organiser had bought the cow from a farmer and it was presented to the Swede with a lot of ballyhoo and a man in his old costume playing Breton bagpipes.